Afflictions Of The Soul: Searching for the past
by Metzy
Summary: Ravenblack travels


I entered through the doors of Drapers Tavern with an exasperated sigh. Making my way over to the bar and sitting down, I slumped my shoulders in defeat. After days and days of searching for guilds, exhaustion was taking it's hold. Ordering a house wine, I surveyed the other patrons in the pub. Not a human in sight. The bartender, noticing my obvious frustration, slided over a pint of blood instead. "You look like you could use some kiddo. The humans seem to be scarce at the moment. All the fightin' goin' on between the vampire clans have spooked them into hiding."  
  
Reluctantly accepting the drink, I muttered out a thank-you, and stared down into the steel mug. My thoughts were racing, and refused to relent in their amplitude. "These guilds take me days to get to, and when I finally arrive at their location, I'm just short of the cash needed for them to give me what I want. I need to find humans in order to get money, until I can find an easier way to steal that which constantly gets stolen from me... without getting attacked in return."  
  
Settling into the pint, I noticed the air around me changed. Became tense. "Either a human has just stupidly made its way into the tavern, or this place is filled with a particular clan and the enemy has just walked in." I mused. Before I could even turn around, a human was thrust up against the bar by another vampire, who wasted no time in sinking his teeth into the mortal's neck. "Do you really have to do that here?" I complained, my features visibly showing my lack of sustinance. The sanguivore was too involved with his meal to care. I growled, as I picked up my drink and moved to a table at the back.  
  
My name... Well, it was Kelli. But that was a long time ago. Here I go by the name Metzy. What does it mean? Well that is a story in itself. Back before I became who I am today, back when I was still... Human, I lived a rather controlled life. My father was a harsh man, who would rather beat me and my brother if we were crying to get us to shut up, rather than find out why we were upset. I was very protective of my little brother, Kian, and one of the ways I would distract him from his fear of my father's strict ways was to invent a language all our own. Something that no one else could ever understand. Just, our little secret. He called me Metzy, which means 'dark beast' in our secret language. I asked Kian why I would be such a thing, and he replied quietly, "It's the look in your eyes when father attacks us. You get a wild look in your eyes, dangerous. Unhuman."  
  
I laugh at that memory, as it was almost like a prophecy. Kian saw what I would become. I was only 13 at the time, he was 9. Such a small age to have to deal with such torture, by our own family. When I was 18, my father had made an agreement with an obnoxious Lord, who looked as if he was approaching his death bed, to take my hand in marriage. I was sickened by the idea. I did not wish to leave Kian alone and did not intend to. But one night, he came into my room and said, "Sister, your life will surely but end if you do not flee this very night. I heard father speaking with Lord Tomen earlier today and the odious decayed man wishes to take you away tomorrow!"  
  
I knew I had to leave, but where would I go? "What will you do Kian?" I asked, sadness forming within my voice as tears escaped my eyes. "You need not worry about me, sister, I will find you. But you must escape now, before it is too late!" He whispered into my ear as he hugged me one last time. In the dim light of approaching dawn I saw his silhouette, and the outline of tears down his face. He quietly slipped out of my room, and across the hall into his own. I snuck out not long after that. And never returned.  
  
My nostalgia was interrupted by the hoarse voice of the bartender and i was brought back to the present. "When you're finished with your feeds take the bodies outside I don't want them stinking up the place!" He yelled at the vampire who I was previously seated next to.  
  
I was always reluctant to accept blood at the taverns, but the keepers seemed to take pity on me for some reason, since my aging ceased at 19. They must think I look like a child or something. I haven't been within the walls of Ravenblack as long as many others here, so I'm not really skilled with in arts of... well, anything. I avoid the clans as much as humanely possible, but I know in my mind that I must join one soon for my protection, as the clan wars seem to be becomming more hostile by the day.  
  
I went up to pay for the pint, and the keeper kindly accepted only the money for the house wine that I'd originally ordered. I thanked him and he smiled warmly, flashing his fangs as he said, "You just take care of yourself out there kiddo. The streets of Ravenblack are a dangerous place for a young vampire like yourself."  
  
I nodded and turned to walk out, feeling a lightness on my shoudler. I looked back to where I was sitting to see my Katana, my weapon (which is only there as decoration mind you, I care not to use it), propped up against the wall. I berrated myself for my carelessness, and walked over to retrieve it. As I was strapping the blade back onto my shoulder, I noticed a small piece of paper, folded up on the table. "That wasn't there before..." I thought, and warily searched the room for anyone who could have possibly left it there. I slowly unfolded the paper, to reveal a small note. It was written in very rough handwriting, like the person was in a hurry. I felt the colour (or lack thereof) drain from my face as I read the words in disbelief. "Nietay Amah, heisha. Izzic rûn y'thril Kanta. Izzic ulah izz'thar liak ra."  
  
The keeper came over, seeing my distress, and got me to sit down. I felt so weak. He picked up the note and attempted to read it. "Makes no sense to me love," He said, as he looked up from the piece of paper, "What's it say? You obviously seem to know what it means." I couldn't see properly, everything was a blur. I couldn't believe it. It couldn't be....  
  
"It says, 'Greetings sister. I'm still alive. I said I'd find you.' I can't believe he's still alive.." My voice was shaky. The realisation dawned on me, why my search for Kian had brought me here. He was here. The barkeeper patted me on the shoudler and said, "If your brother is indeed here kid, you'd want to hope that he's not alive, if you know what I mean."  
  
I had to find him. But in this giant city, I had enough trouble finding guilds, rather than one person. Or vampire. Oh god. I can't do this on my own, but where would I go? My 'blood' relatives were scattered all over the place, and I very rarely run into them. My sire? Ravenesque has been missing for some time now, and the odds of finding him are about as slim as me finding my brother in these city walls. The keeper went behind the bar and scribbled something onto the note and brought it back over. It was a location. "It's where you may find help to find your brother. Clan of the Phoenix. Find them, and you may find your brother. Or at least gain the means to do so."  
  
Again I thanked the keeper and said I'd be back to tell him if I was successful. He smiled and went back to threatening to kick people out if they were going to start fights inside. I headed out of Draper's Tavern and started in the direction of the Clan of the Phoenix. 


End file.
